Built during the first century BCE under the patronage of King Walagamba, the Lankarama Dagoba is indeed one of the oldest yet magnificent stupas of the Anuradhapura kingdom. Though the iconic structure was under ruins for several centuries, It has now been renovated and thousands of devotees from around the country visit here frequently.
Archaeological evidence also suggests that there had been an expansive courtyard surrounding the stupa during the time it was built and it had numerous other attributes that adorned the site at that time of history. Although it has been speculated that the original stupa would have been much taller, the one that is there at the site measures up to 10 meters in height and has a diameter of 14 meters; the circular courtyard has a diameter of 406 meters
One of the other polarising features of the site is the pond that is located in proximity to the stupa – which is known by the name Eth Pokuna. Having a depth of 9.5 meters, it measures up to 159 meters in length and approximately 53 meters across – while combined offers the tank holding capacity of 72 000 cubic meters of water. A recent study by archaeologists has revealed that the pond is fed through a sophisticated underground canal system that draws in water from the Periyankulama tank. It is also evident that these canals are still fully functional even after several hundred years have been passed. It has now been speculated that the pond had been built to be used by the monks who were stationed at the Abhayagiri and the Lankarama Dagoba for their needs of sanitation.
